FAAA names latest Gwen Fletcher Memorial Award winner

Nathan Purnell of SWA Financial Planning has received the Gwen Fletcher Memorial Award, recognising him as the highest-performing student in the CFP Certification Unit for the semester.

Named after the late Gwen Fletcher whom the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) described as the “First Lady of Financial Planning”, the award highlights the dedication of the recipient to providing high-quality financial advice.

Purnell completed his Master of Professional Accounting at the University of Wollongong in 2017 and went on to complete a Diploma of Financial Planning at Kaplan Australia in 2018. In 2017, he joined SWA Financial Planning and has worked his way from an associate financial planner to become a financial planner in 2019, a position he still holds.

“I am overjoyed to be named the recipient of the Gwen Fletcher award, and to be honest I am still in shock at hearing this news,” Purnell said.

“Completing the CFP program has given me an enhanced appreciation for the depth of knowledge, skills and professionalism we have within the financial planning industry.”

Purnell said he appreciated that client relationships were prioritised during the course.

“It was certainly a challenge, and I am grateful that the CFP program allowed me the flexibility to apply myself to the course over a period of time. I particularly enjoyed the client-first approach in every unit,” he said.

“The CFP program requires you to apply yourself to a wide range of scenarios and strategies while always keeping the needs and goals of clients paramount. I believe the program will continue to be a cornerstone in advancing the professionalism of our industry and meeting the needs of a diverse Australian public.”

FAAA chief executive Sarah Abood congratulated Purnell on the achievement.

“I congratulate Nathan on persevering with his studies alongside his work commitments, his dedication is an exceptional example of the financial planning profession at its best,” Abood said.

“Gwen Fletcher was a pioneer in financial planning education and elevated the profession to new heights, and I have no doubt that Nathan will continue this proud legacy.

“The CFP Certification Program is an integral part of the FAAA’s efforts to support technical excellence in financial planning and equip planners with the skills and confidence needed to provide the best quality financial advice to Australians.”

Purnell added: “I treated myself to a nice Italian dinner to celebrate and am certainly looking forward to my study-free evenings and weekends from now on.”